David Is Anointed King Over Judah
2 1 Later, David inquired of our Father, "Should I go up to one of the cities of Judah?" Our Father said, "Go up." David said, "Where?" "Hebron," he said.
2 David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal the Carmelite's widow. 3 David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in Hebron's towns. 4 Then Judah's men came and anointed David king over Judah's house there. They told David that Jabesh-gilead's men had buried Saul. 5 He sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead: "May our Father bless you for this kindness to your lord Saul, burying him." 6 Now may our Father show you kindness and faithfulness; I too will treat you well for doing this. 7 Be strong and take courage, for your master Saul is dead, and Judah's house has also anointed me king over them.
Abner Makes Ish-Bosheth King Over Israel
8 But Abner son of Ner, Saul's army commander, took Ish-bosheth son of Saul and brought him across to Mahanaim. 9 He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin—over all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth son of Saul was forty when he became king over Israel; he reigned two years. But Judah's house followed David. 11 David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah for seven years and six months.
Brother Against Brother at Gibeon
12 Abner son of Ner, with Ish-bosheth son of Saul's servants, left Mahanaim for Gibeon. 13 Joab son of Zeruiah and David's servants also went out and met them together at Gibeon's pool—one side sitting on one bank, the other on the opposite bank. 14 Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men get up and compete before us." Joab said, "Let them get up."
15 So they got up and crossed over by count, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, twelve from David's servants. 16 Each man gripped his opponent's head and drove his sword into his side, and they fell together. So the place in Gibeon was named Helkath-hazzurim. a a v16 Helkath-hazzurim means "field of sword-edges" — the place was named for the deadly hand-to-hand combat fought there. 17 The fighting that day was very fierce; Abner and Israel's men fell before David's servants. 18 Zeruiah's three sons were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel—Asahel as fast-footed as a wild gazelle. 19 He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him. 20 Abner looked back and said, "Is that you, Asahel?" "It is," he answered.
21 Abner told him, "Turn right or left, seize one of the young men, take his gear." But Asahel refused to stop chasing him. 22 Abner told Asahel again, "Turn back. Why force me to strike you down? How could I face your brother Joab?" 23 He refused to turn aside, so Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear; it came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. Everyone who came to where Asahel had fallen and died stood still. 24 Joab and Abishai pursued Abner; at sunset they reached the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. 25 Benjamin's men gathered behind Abner, formed one band, and stood atop a hill. 26 Abner called to Joab: "Must the sword devour forever? Don't you know this will end bitterly? How long until you tell the people to turn back from chasing their brothers?"
27 Joab said, "As our Father lives, if you had not spoken, the troops would have chased their brothers until morning." 28 Joab blew the trumpet; all the troops stopped, no longer pursuing Israel or fighting. 29 Abner and his men marched through the Arabah all that night, crossed the Jordan, went through all Bithron, and reached Mahanaim.
30 Joab turned back from chasing Abner, gathered all the troops, and found nineteen of David's men missing, besides Asahel. 31 But David's servants struck down three hundred sixty of the men of Benjamin who were with Abner. 32 They carried Asahel, buried him in his father's tomb in Bethlehem; Joab and his men walked all night, reaching Hebron by dawn.
